Cloth Mask to Canvas

Cloth Mask to Canvas

In our country the number of COVID-19 victims is still increasing. Filipinos are still struggling to go out of their houses to buy basic necessities or to even go to work for fear of getting the virus.

No one is exempt from this dreaded virus. Even Filipino Artists have found themselves affected by COVID-19, especially in their livelihood. However, they are finding ways to express their creativity and spreading Hope using their artistic talents in creating these unique facemasks.

This is definitely another great way to make use of their talents, especially since the Department of Health has been adamant about the importance of wearing facemasks, hygiene and social distancing. We may be suffering from a pandemic, but being the ingenious Filipinos that they are, our artists have found a way to represent their love of arts through their one of a kind facemasks.

Hermes Alegre

Hermes Alegre is a well-established artist in the country. Alegre’s art is synonymous to the mystery and allure that Filipina women are known for.

Observed as specimens of tropical beauty, Filipinas in Alegre’s works are surrounded by foliage and greenery. Two of Alegre’s latest works entitled “Mahiyain” and “Behind the Mask” are featured on his facemasks, which are shared with Alegre’s close relatives and friends. 

Cynthia Bauzon-Arre

Cynthia Bauzon-Arre majored in Visual Communication at the UP College of Fine Arts and took up graphic design at Parsons School of Design in New York City. In recent years, she’s been designing daily-use products that celebrate Pinoy pop culture and advocate nature conservation.

Bauzon-Arre’s facemasks feature illustrations of indigenous fruits, flowers, and endemic birds to help raise awareness for the protection and conservation of Philippine native trees and forests. Some designs are collaborations with Forest Foundation Philippines, and profits earned from their sales will be used to make more items that can help promote the advocacy.

Pre-orders for her facemasks will soon be taken and announced on Bauzon-Arre’s social media account or website.

Francis Nacion

Franics Nacion’s works show his love and pride for our country and culture. When you look closely at the characters in his paintings, you will see both a bright and dark side on the faces.  He used his work entitled “Perlas ng Silangan”, which depicts our beloved country mourning and suffering during pandemonium. The woman is Mother Nature and the Pearl represents our Motherland.

The masks are shared with family and friends. Nacion also shares the masks with people he sees on the road who are not wearing facemasks.

Marge Organo

A mixed-media artist, a businesswoman, and a mother of four, Marge Organo went on to pursue studies in glass sculpture at The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass in New York City.

For her facemask, Organo used her recent artwork “Unfinished Business”, a painting on an optical glass. The actual piece is donated to the Rotary Club Makati West for their project to raise funds to provide free transportation to Frontliners as well as to provide personal protective equipment for them. Organo shares her facemasks with relative and close friends.

Nani Reyes

Nani Reyes wants to portray his life as a kid in his artworks, specifically the games that they have played during his childhood. That is why he used “Teleponong Lata”, a depiction of one of his childhood memories in his facemask design. According to Reyes, “The tin phone is one of my favorite children’s series where we watch and review games that have been forgotten in the development of technology.”

Reyes also has religious designs like the Virgin Mary of Antipolo and St. Clement with Higantes of Angono. All of the designs are for sale for P100.00 via his Facebook page if you are interested.

Juvenal Sansó

Juvenal Sansó was born in Ruesm Catalonia, Spain in 1929 but moved to Manila when his parents established El Arte Espanol, a wrought-iron business; Sansó was around 5 years old around this time. A multi-faceted artist, Sansó has through the years, painted oils, watercolor, acrylic and his favored ink and dry brush medium. He has produced fine etchings in a very dynamic, strong-lined style. He has also distinguished himself in textile design, print making and photography. He has also designed sets and costumes for several operas in France and in the Philippines.

As a way of giving back to the art community in his adopted country, Juvenal Sansó has played a significant role in encouraging young Filipino artists to excel in their field. From 2008 to 2009, he served as artist in residence for the Art Interaction program of the Shell National Students Art Competition. In 2015, upon his guidance and with his generous support, the Fundacion Sanso (Sanso Museum) was established in San Juan City. His “Coralline Turrents” and “Misty Lands” are featured in the mask. These Sanso masks will be available starting July 20, 2020. It could be bought through messaging the Sanso Museum

Meneline Wong

Meneline Wong, M.D. is an obstetrician and gynecologist by profession at Chinese General Hospital. Her love for art paid off when she won 2nd place in the GSIS National Art Competition last 2018. She used her artwork “I See Hope” to be featured in her mask as according Wong, “The artwork depicts the darkness and sad reality of our world and all we wanted to see is that little light breaking through to make things a little better.” She also created the mask for her close friends to remind them and us that Hope is a powerful weapon, especially in trying times like we are experiencing now.

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